Armature insulating machine



Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL 3,051,909

ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet l DEAN /7'. Do Y/NG MELVIN J: JTRAuB I RA YMOND E. SI/aRTELL J'asEPH C. J-OUNEN FLo YD LaBAsH ATTORNE Ks Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL 3,061,909

ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 [/WENToRs DEAN /1. Do YING MEL v/zv J7 STEAL/8 RA YMo/VDEJ'HoRTELL JOSEPH C. JZJUNEN Flo YD LoBAsH Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE 10 Sheeis-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 [/wENToRs DEAN h. 00 Y/NG MEL V/N i-JTRAUB RA YMOND f. SHORTELL JbsEPH C. Jau/vE/Y FLOYD LOB/48H ATToR/ve vs Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 INVENTORS DEAN f1. Do Y/NG MEI. VIN J. \STR'AUB RA YMOND E. \S'HORTELL Joseph! C. Jou/vEN FLO YD LoBA SH Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL 3,061,909

ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 1o Sheets-Sheet e FIG. 6

[/v VENTORS DEAN /1. Do Y/NG MEL VIN J. STRA UB RAYMOND E.6'HoRTEL| JOSEPH C. Jou/vEN FLOYD Loans ATTORNE Y6 'Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL 3,06

ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 1o Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 7

, INVENTORS DEAN H. Dov/N6 MELVIN ZSTRA uB RA YMOND E. SHORTELL.

JOSEPH C. J'OUNEN FLOYD LosA SH ATTORNEYS Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 FIG. 8

N H DOY/NG (i [/wavmm IJ'TRA us I RA YMO/VD E 51/0RTELL JosEP/v C. Jou/vE/v E40 YD Loans/1 MEL w/v 37% I ATTOR-EY Nov. 6, 1962 M. J. STRAUB ETAL 3,061,909

ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1959 10 SheetsSheet 9 INVENTORJ DEAN /1. D0 Y/NG MEL w/v I \S'TR/IUB RA YMONDE. SHORTELL Jasspu C. Jou/VEN F1. 0 r0 L 08:! SH 3 ATTORNE Y5 M. J. STRAUB ETAL ARMATURE INSULATING MACHINE Nov. 6, 1962 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Sept. 16, 1959 FIG. [.9

[/vvE/v-roRs DEAN H. 00 Y/NG MEI. w/v J. 61124 Us RA vMo/vaESHaRTELL JOSEPH C. Jbuzvezv Flora LOB/48H stress Patented Nov. 6, I953? 3,661,909 ARMA'IURE INSULATING MACHINE Melvin I. Strauh, Hopkins, and Raymond E, Shortell, loyd Lobash, Dean H. Buying, and Joseph C. Sounen, Minneapolis, Minn, assignors, by mesne assignments,

to Ralph Mansfield, Chicago, Ill.

Filed Sept. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 840,357 20 Claims. (Cl. 2933) This invention is a machine for placing insulating material in the slots of and around the outside of the armatures of electrical machines such as generators, rnotors and the like when they are rewound in repair shops. This work until now has been done manually. Prior attempts to make a successful machine to perform this work have been unsatisfactory for numerous reasons, one of the main ones being that no satisfactory means of shaping the insulating material to the peculiar formations of the armature slots were developed. The machine of the present invention features a track structure which stabilizes a carriage to limit its motion to reciprocation with respect to the track. The whole track, however, may be pivoted or arced about the axis of rotation of an armature supported in the machine. It is possible therefore with a profiling finger secured to the carriage to insert the profiling finger in the slot of an armature, thus forming the insulating material to the contour of the armature slot and then indexing the armature to the next slot by tipping the carriage before the indexing finger is withdrawn.

Structure that solved the problem of restraining axial movement of the insulating material as the profiling finger is inserted and withdrawn comprises a paper clamp and paper roller that are electrically related to operate in a mutually exclusive manner to resist such axial movement of the insulation. A further concept that has proved valuable is the combination of a stop for the end of the armature that is aligned with a fixed insulation guide that causes one end of the armature and the edge of the insulating material automatically to be aligned. The opposing insulation guide is movable to permit adjustment for varying widths of insulating material and, therefore, sizes of armatures that can be insulated. Still an additional structure that neatly solved an otherwise vexing problem is found in the indexing structure which employs the concept of having a cam determine a neutral or reference position and a spring to move the structure to its indexing position. A stop means readily adjustable is the only control over the amount of indexing, therefore, which means that the amount of indexing can be quickly changed to adapt the machine to indexing correctly an armature having a different number of slots from the one previously worked on in the machine.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an armature insulating machine that automatically places insulating material in the slots of an armature.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an armature insulating machine that has an insulating material guide thereon which in combination with an armature guide automatically aligns one edge of the insulating material web with the side of an armature.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel means for forming the insulating web forced into the slots of the armature to assume the contour of the slot of the armature.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide such an armature insulating machine that incorporates novel indexing structure which is positively moved to a neutral or starting position and biased to an indexing position against an adjustable stop permitting rapid adjustment of the machine to armatures having varying numbers of winding slots therein.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an armature insulating machine in which the insulation web forming mechanism on the indexing mechanism has portions in common.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an armature insulating machine that supplies insulating material to an armature in a continuous web and having novel web control clamps to prevent axial movement of the Web, as it being formed to the contour of the winding slots in an armature.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an armature insulating machine having an insulating material cutting knife slidably mounted thereon as to be out of the way when work is being done and quickly and easily applied to sever the insulation web whenever an armature has been insulated.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, this invention then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which the same numerals refer to corresponding parts and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a reduced perspective view of the entire machine;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the machine work surface with portions of the device broken away to conserve space; hidden parts are illustrated with broken lines; the scale used is larger than that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 with broken lines illustrating hidden and adjusted parts; broken lines also illustrate continuing repetitious parts shown only in part; the armature appears in end elevation rather than section; the scale used is larger than that of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation with portions broken away to illustrate internal construction and with hidden parts illustrated in broken lines; FIGURE 4 v is drawn to the same scale as FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a similar fragmentary side elevation with the cams shown in different positions from those illustrated in FIGURE 4 to illustrate a different step in the cycle of operation; portions of the device are broken away to show operation of otherwise hidden parts; FIG URE 5 is drawn to the same scale as FIGURES 2 and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a similar view to that shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 and drawn to the same scale showing a i still different position of the mechanism with broken lines illustrating hidden parts;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation taken at a point showing only the insertion blade operating cam and with fragments of the other operating arms shown in the position they would be in at the time the cam illustrated is positioned as shown; broken lines show hidden parts; portions of the device are broken away to illustrate operations more fully; this view is drawn to the same scale as FIGURES 2, 4, 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to that shown in FIGURE 3 and drawn to the same scale but illustrating a different position of the parts in a cycle of armature insulating; broken lines illustrate hidden and represent the continuation of repetitious parts;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 and drawn to the same scale except that less of the structure is shown and the parts are shown in a difierent operative position than is illustrated in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE is an even more fragmentary view of the insulation handling mechanism drawn to a scale larger than that used in FIGURES 3, 8 and 9;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to and drawn to the same scale as FIGURE 10 and illustrating still another step in the operation of the machine;

FIGURE 12 is a still more fragmentary view of the mechanism shown in FIGURES 10 and 11 and drawn to the same scale as those figures and showing still a further step in the operation of the device;

FIGURE 13 is a fragment of an armature drawn to the same scale as FIGURES 10, 11 and 12 illustrating the overlapping of the insulation material ends in the last slot;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary vertical section of the track and showing the carriage thereon in end elevation; broken lines illustrate hidden and adjusted parts; the scale used is the same as that used in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 15 is the electrical wiring diagram for the machine;

FIGURE 16 is a fragmentary plan view of the paper handling mechanism drawn to the same scale as FIG- URE 2 but with elements broken away to illustrate construction more fully and to show positioning of the insulation material;

FIGURE 17 is a partial vertical section partial side elevation of the bracket supporting one end of the knife guide bar drawn to the same scale as FIGURES 10; 11, 12 and 13; broken lines illustrate hidden parts;

FIGURE 18 is a vertical section taken on the line 18 -18 of FIGURE 16; it is drawn to the same scale as FIGURE 17; broken lines illustrate hidden parts; and

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary end elevation showing the timing gears and limit switch, it is drawn to the same scale as FIGURES 3, 8 and 9.

In FIGURE 1 the invention may be seen supported on a cabinetlike frame designated 20 having a table plate 21 on its top. Secured to top 21 are means for supporting an armature thereon consisting of a tailstock member 22 slidably mounted on ways 24 on which the tailstock is alternately slidable or locked by means of lock handle 25. The other end of an armature is supported inside of a track element 26 in a manner described in detail just below. Track element 26 is pivotally secured to the table top 21 by means of cantilever support number 27 and rear support number 28.

Track element 26 is hollow and contains within it a bushing element 29 that can be seen in FIGURE 4 and which is held in place by a set screw 36. By this means the bushing may be held in any of numerous longitudinal positions within the track element 26. The bushing 29 provides support for one end of an armature shaft and tailstock 22 supports the other end of the armature so that it is rotatably held above the table top 21.

As the armature is inserted in the rack member 26 and extended therein as far as possible, the end of the core of the armature engages the rotating stop roller member 31, some portion of the periphery of which is always in vertical alignment with the fixed insulating material guide 32. Stated another way, a tangent to the roll 31 on the workpiece side and normal to the support also passes through the workpiece edge of the guide 32. Thus, the edge of insulating material presented to the armature, the position of which is'determined by fixed guide 32, and the edge of the core of the armature are automatically aligned with each other. When the armature is inserted properly into the bushing 29, only a short portion of its end engages the bushing. The other edge of insulating material being presented to an armature is guided by the movable insulating material guide 34. It slides on the guide '35 and can be secured in position by the hand nut 36. Movable insulating material guide 34 is appropriately adjusted to match the width of Whatever insulating material is being presented to the armature in relationship to the fixed guide 32.

Means for severing the insulating material appropriately is provided in the knife consisting of the sliding handle 37 riding on the guide bar 38 and supporting in the controlled manner therefore the blade 39. The guide bar is flattened on one side which flattened portion is engaged by a key 33 in handle 37 to limit relative movement between the handle and the guide bar to reciprocating motion of handle 37 along the guide bar. Guide bar 38 is not only flattened on one side but the juncture of the flat and curved surfaces is relieved by the beveling or chamfering 38A in FIGURE 18 which assures smooth sliding movement of handle 37 on guide bar 38.

A suitable means such as coil spring 40! returns the knife to the position shown in FIGURE 1 whenever it is not being used to sever insulating material. The guide bar is rotatably supported at one end in the cantilever number 27 and at the other end in a suitable bracket 41. This bracket 41 has a set screw '42 in it by means of which the position of the knife relative to an armature in the machine can be determined by loosening the setscrew and pivoting the guide bar together with the knife in the cantilever support 27 and bracket 41. When the knife is appropriately adjusted, that is to say, about oneeighth of an inch from the surface of an armature mounted in the machine, thumb set screw 42 is tightened to lock the knife in position.

A suitable means for presenting insulating material to the armature is in the form of a continuous roll such as that shown at 44 supported on any suitable bracket such as those designated 45 in FIGURE 1. As the insulating material, usually treated paper, reaches the area in which an armature is mounted, it extends under the bar 46. Below this bar and working through an opening in table top 21 is an insulating paper clamp 47.

The insulation clamp 47 is actuated by solenoid 48 whenever the machine begins a cycle of operations. As the clamp rises, it engages the insulating material and forces it against bar 46, thereby holding the insulating material against movement while its end is inserted into the first slot of the armature. When solenoid 48 is energized, it pulls down core 49, thus pivoting arm 50 about pin 51. Such pivoting action of arm 50 causes the clamp 47 to be moved upward by the adjusting screw assembly 52. A suitable biasing means such as coil spring 54 returns the arm 50 to a release position whenever solenoid 48 is de-energized. Just beyond bar 46 is a friction roller 55 around which insulating material such as that designated 56 may be reaved in order to present it to the armature.

A smooth approach for insulating web 56 to an armature in the machine is provided by surface plate 57 which is curved to receive and guide the web appropriately at its front and rear 58 and 58A, respectively. An opening 59 in surface plate 57 permits clamp 47 to slide through it.

On the other side of a mounted armature 60 from the friction roller 55 is a movable friction roller 61. Roller 61 is supported movably by suitable means such as the yoke 62 appropriately pivoted on bracket 64. The outer end of the arm of yoke 62 is pivotally engaged by an extension 65 of the core 66 of solenoid 67. When solenoid 67 is energized, the extension 65 is moved upward, thus lowering the paper roller 61. A suitable biasing means such as spring 68 moves paper roller 61 towards armature 60 whenever power is released or moved from solenoid 67.

Directly below the armature 6t} and arranged on machine for radial movement relative to the armature is the insulating material insertion blade 69. Blade 69 is rigidly clamped to divided block 70A and B, the two portions of which are suitably biased apart by a means such as spring 71. If the machine extends blade 69 farther than the depth of the slot in an armature, divided block 70 yields to prevent damage. Block halves 70A and B are held ttogether slidably by conventional means such as machine screws slidably extending through one block and threaded into the other. This structure is omitted from the drawings to avoid cluttering them with known structures not necessary to understand the invention. Divided block 70 is suitably supported for radial movement relative to the armature by a bracket 72 and Ways 74 which confine it while leaving it free to move vertically. Divided block 70A and B is biased down away from armature 60 by suitable means such as spring 75 which is anchored to the bracket 72 by means of pin 76 and is secured to the block by means of pin 77. Pin 77 is free to slide in opening 78 in bracket 72.

Paper insertion blade 69 is moved into an inserting position by means of an appropriate cam 79 mounted on the main drive shaft 80 which is connected to a source of power through a conventional electric clutch 81. Suitable conventional means such as sprocket 82 and roller chain 82A connect the clutch to any suitable source of power which is not shown. A keeper 83 secures sprocket 82 on shaft 80. An insertion blade driving arm 84 is pivoted appropriately as at 85 to a rigid frame member 36. One end of the arm 84 is connected by appropriate adjustable linkage 87 to the divided block 70A and B by any suitable means as screw 88. The other end of arm 34 carries cam follower 89. Cam follower 89 rides on cam 79 and when forced down by action of the cam 79, pivot arm 84 raises the insertion blade and drives insulating material 56 into a slot 90 of armature 60.

In FIGURE 1 also may be seen the elements that ap pear on top of the machine involved in forming the insulating material to the profile of the slot in the armature after the material has been inserted by the blade 69. The profiling finger also acts to index the armature from one slot to the next as is explained fully below.

Rigidly secured to track member 26, which is pivotally supported by cantilever support 27 and rear support 23, are the front and rear frame ends designated 91 and 92, respectively. An upper track member designated 94 is also rigidly secured between the frame ends 91 and 92. Riding on the track is a carriage having a frame 95 which rotatably supports between its sides the contoured rollers 96, 97 and 98 in FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7. Two of these rollers, 96 and 97, engage track element 26 on the top. The third one, 98, engages the track element from the bottom which location of rollers stabilizes the carriages against up and down tipping on a vertical axis and also lateral twisting about a vertical axis. Twisting is resisted because the contoured rollers engage the sides as well as the top of the track element 26 as seen in FIGURE 14. At the top of carriage 95 are two additional rollers 99 and 100, respectively, that engage track element 94 to prevent lateral tipping about a horizontal axis of the carriage 95. Carriage 95 is nevertheless freely reciprocative on the track element 26 and 94 and its stabilization thereon does not inhibit this longitudinal sliding action.

Stabilization of the carriage is extremely important in that the carriage supports and must place accurately the profiling finger 191. As the head 102 of this profiling finger 191 must enter the slots 90 in the armature 60 accurately enough to avoid tearing the insulating material 56 that has been placed in the slot by blade 69, it is apparent the action of carriage 95 must be precise. Reciprocating movement is imparted to carriage 95 through the articulating link 103 which connects the carriage to the reciprocating arm or the carriage arm 104.

As seen in FIGURE 4, the profiling finger 101 is smaller along its shank than the portion of head 102 designated 1021. It is only the part 1021 that carries the profile or shape of the armature slot. Portion 102P is narrow to minimize friction as the profile of the slot is formed in the paper. It is shown as preferably amounting to less than 25% of the length of pointed head 102 and it is not necessary for it to be more than one-half inch in linear measure.

The rear track frame element 92 has a laterally extending arm 105 to which is pivotally connected the indexing linkage 106. When indexing linkage 106 moves upwardly to carry arm 105 up, the frame along with the track elements 94 and 26 are tipped an appropriate number of degrees for the particular armature being insulated. Since reciprocation of the carriage must be carried on both in the vertical and in the tipped or indexed positions, the articulating link 103 is used to provide a connection between the carriage reciprocating arm 104 and the carriage 95 that will adapt itself to either posi tion of the track. The operation of an indexing stop adjustment 107, shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, will be described more fully hereafter.

On the front or cantilever track support is also seen an indexing or armature slot locating dog 108. This dog 10? is biased toward an armature located in the machine by suitable means such as spring 109. When an armature has been properly indexed by the profiling finger and carriage structure, the point 110 of dog 108 engages both sides of the top slot in the armature.

As shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and J6, the carriage reciprocating arm 104 extends below the table top 21 through the opening 111 and is pivoted suitably as at 112 to permit it to pivot in response to the action of box cam 113. A cam follower 115 rides in the groove 116.

of cam 114. When cam follower 115 is in the groove 116 of box cam 114 as to be near shaft 80, the arm 104 is positioned with its top in the rear position as shown in FIGURE 4 As seen in FIGURE 3, arm 104 is pivoted to a rigid frame member 117 by suitable means such as a stud or the like, the head 118 of which appears in FIGURE 3.

As shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6, the indexing linkage 106, which is seen to be conventionally adjustable, is pivotally secured to an indexing arm 119. This indexing arm is pivotally supported on a fixed frame member 120 as indicated at 121. Arm 119 is also actuated by a cam 122, referred to as the indexing cam, which engages and moves a cam follower 124 which is in turn secured to the indexing arm 119. When cam follower 124 is engaged by the high point of cam 122, the frame for the track is positioned vertically if the linkage 106 is properly adjusted. When a low portion of the cam 122 is positioned under the cam follower 124, then the arm 119 is tipped by any suitable biasing means such as spring 125 to lower that end of the arm 11 9 to which spring 125 is secured. The arm 119 pivoting about its pivot 121 will raise the linkage 106 and thereby lift the extension arm 195 of the rear track frame member 92 which will cause the track and therefore the carriage to tip. This tipping of the track moves profiling finger 101 in an arcing or angular path about the axis of rotation of the armature to cause it to move one slot from its previous position. As arm 119 is pivoted to index the armature, the arm engages the stop 126 which is controlled by the indexing stop adjustment 107. Indexing stop 126, as adjusted by 107, determines the amount of arcing or angular motion of the profiling and indexing finger 101 around the axis of rotation of the armature 60. Spring 125 will move 119 as far as the stop will permit it to do. Thus, when armatures having different numbers of slots are insulated in the machine, the stop 126 must be adjusted properly for each different armature by 107. To minimize the noise occasioned by engagement of arm 119 with stop 126, a pad 127 may be inserted in the arm 119 at the point where it engages stop 126.

Fixed frame elements 86 and 120 support the main shaft 80 which carries all the cams which are conventionally keyed toshaft 80. Suitable means secure the shaft to the fixed frame elements such as the bearing assemblies 128 on frame element 86 and 129 on frame member 120. Frame members 86 and 120 are suitably braced by being secured to the table top 21 and also by such means as tierod 130 and rigid frame element 131.

ape-1,909

At the right hand end of shaft 80 in FIGURE 3 there is-a spur gear 132 that engages the changeable, doublelinking gear 133, the spur gear portion 133A of which engages and drives the timing gear 136. Double-linking gear 133 is movably supported on arm 134 and secured rotatably thereon by a thumb nut 135. Armatures having varying numbers of slots require different numbers of rotation of shaft 36 to complete an armature winding cycle. For example, a fourteen slot armature requires that number of rotations of shaft 80, as only one insulation insertion stroke is accomplished in one rotation of shaft 89. In the example used, therefore, a gear 133 would be used that would provide a ratio of fourteen to one between gears 132 and 136. For an armature having a larger number of slots, a difierent gear providing the higher gear ratio is substituted at 133 by removing thumb nut 135. Movable arm 134 is relocated to accommodate the different gear, as necessary. Timing gear 136 carries a cam-like member 137 to engage a switch actuating arm 138 that actuates a switch 139 to break the main circuit to electric clutch S1 at the end of a cycle to determine the end of an armature insulating cycle.

While switch L139 generally determines the end of an armature winding cycle, the carriage arm limit switch 140 is connected in parallel to points 159 controlled in part by switch L139, as shown in FIGURE 15. Though points 159 are open, switch 140 will continue to energize clutch coil 81C until the carriage or profiling arm 104 has resumed its rearward position, as shown in EEG- URE 4. Thus, the machine will stop automatically only when the profiling finger 101 has been withdrawn from an armature.

Switch 139 is a double-pole, single-throw switch, the halves of which operate in reverse order to each other. That is to say, when the arm 138 is engaged by the camlike element 137 of timing gear 136, one half of the switch serving as the main cycle limit switch is open. At the same instant, the other half of the switch is closed by reason of the arm action. Conversely, when the arm is not engaged by the cam-like element 137, the cycle limit half of the switch is biased closed while the other half is biased open. The half of switch 139 that is open when arm 138 is free from cam 137 is part of the power circuit to the paper insulation clamp solenoid 48 and insulation roll solenoid 67. Power for the paper roller control solenoid also passes through one of the sets of points of the main relay, however. For this reason when the machine is at the end-of-cycle position (with arm 138 enagged and actuated by the cam-like element 137 of timing gear 136) and power is applied to the machine generally, the solenoid 67 for the paper roller is immediately actuated holding the roller 61 down in the position sshown in FIGURE 3. On the other hand, the solenoid 4-8 for the paper clamp is not energized and actuated to cause the clamp 47 to engage the insulating material until the main relay is closed by actuating the cycle-start switch. Until the cycle-start switch is closed, therefore, the insulating material 56 may be manipulated through the feed system freely.

The cycle-start switch and the main relay are entirely electrical in operation and are not associated for mechanical cooperation with any of the mechanical structure shown in the drawings. Therefore, these two switches appear only in the electrical wiring diagram, FIGURE 15, which will now be explained.

An electrical circuit to operate the machine is shown in FIGURE 15, the electrical wiring diagram. Power from a conventional source is applied across the main lines 141 and 142. Line 14-1 continues without interruption to one terminal of a combination terminal strip and rectifier 144. Line 142 goes first to the main control or off-on switch 145. This switch controls power to the entire mechanism. Connected directly to line 141 by lead 146 is the motor 147. A second lead 148 connects the other side of the motor circuit to a line 149 from the other side of the main line switch 145. Whe v switch is closed, therefore, the motor 147 will 0} erate. An indicator light 159 is connected in parall to the motor to glow whenever the motor is in operati n- A stop switch 151 is inserted in the line leading to t cycle-start switch 152. Lead 153 connects these tWO switches. Stop switch 151 is biased closed while the cycle-start switch is biased open. A lead 154 connects the switch 152 to one side of a coil 155 that operates th main relay for the system. The other side of r y coil 155 is connected to line 141 via lead 156. Thus, whenever switch 145 is closed and the operator pushes closed the cycle-start switch 152, a complete path for current may be traced from line 142 through the main switch and successively line 149, stop switch 151, lead 153, cycle-start switch 152, lead 154, coi-l 155, and lead 156. With coil 155 thus energized, all of the points 157 through 159, respectively, are closed. As soon as the relay points close, complete circuits may be traced from stop switch 151 through lead 166 and lead 161 to the solenoid half of switch 139, designated by the letter S. Lead 161 connects the coil 67, the paper roller solenoid, to the switch 1395. Solenoid 67 is then connected via lead 164 back to line 141. This circuit activates the paper roller solenoid to lower roller 61 from armature 66.

As soon as the relay points 157 through 159 are closed, electric clutch 81 is engaged. Power is applied through line 161) and lead 165 to one side of relay points 159; the other side of relay points 159 is connected to the coil for clutch 81 and here designated 810 (to make a direct correlation between the number assigned to the c il and the unit which it operates). A lead 167 connects the other side of coil 81C to the combination terminal strip rectifier 144 (rectifier 144 is not inventive and internal connections to aid in tracing circuits are represented by broken lines) and through an internal connection to line 141 to provide a complete circuit to energize coil 81C. With the clutch energized and therefore engaged in driving the shaft 86, rotation is imparted via spurred gear 132 through double-linking gear 133133A to the timing gear 136. As timing gear 136 rotates, camlike member 137 is moved from under arm 138 which allows switch 139 to assume its biased position.

Prior to the biasing of switch 139, however, another circuit is temporarily established through lead 168 from switch 1398 to points 158 of the relay. Another lead 16?) connects to coil 48 which is the paper clamp solenoid. A lead 170 connects coil 43 via line 164 to the main line 141. Thus, until switch 1395 is biased open after the initial revolution of drive shaft 80 there is a complete circuit through the coil of the insulation material clamp solenoid 48. As soon as switch 1398 is opened, however, by rotation of timer gear 136, the circuit to both of solenoids 67 and 48 is interrupted. At this instant, the clamp 47 releases the insulating material while the roller 61 engages it. Thus, as far as engaging the insulating material is concerned, these two paper engaging devices operate in mutually exclusive manner. Both of these devices have for a primary purpose the securing of the insulating material against axial movement relative to the armature upon frictional engagement by the profiling device. In addition, clamp 47 holds insulation 56 against advancement during the initial insertion blade stroke.

At the same instant that switch 1398 is forced open by rotation of the timing gear 136, the other portion of the switch designated 139L, for the portion of that switch that acts as the main cycle limit switch, is forced closed by the same action. As the relay holding points 157 have previously been closed by the energization of coil 155, a complete electrical circuit will then be completed according to the following sequence. Power from 142 through main line switch 145 through lead 14-9 through switch 151 through a short lead 171 to switch 139L, through switch 139L to lead 172, through points 157, lead 173, through coil 155, lead 156 and back to line 141. As long as the switch 139 is unmolested therefore, the main relay will remain closed and the circuit through the clutch coil 810 will continue to be energized, thus driving the mechanism. As soon as cam 137 of the timing gear 136 engages the arm 138 to move switch 139 to its cammed position, however, the holding circuit for the coil 155 will be interrupted and spring tension will return the relay points 157 through 159 to the position illustrated in the wiring diagram of FIGURE 15.

At this point the clutch coil 81C would be de-energized if the profiling arm or carriage reciprocating arm 104 is in a rearward position. If the arm 104 is not back so as to engage profiling limit switch 140, that switch will be biased closed providing an alternate circuit for current from line 165 through 174 to coil 81C, thus completing a circuit through line 167 and the rectifier terminal strip 144 back to line 141. The machine will continue' to operate therefore until the carriage reciprocating arm 104 comes back and opens the limit switch 149 at which time, with limit switch 139L standing open, the mechanism will come to rest and only the motor will continue to rotate.

Lead 173, inserted because actually present in the circuit, has to do only with the internal operation of rectifier 144- which is a commercially available unit.

The only portion of the circuit which remains to be discussed is the job switch 176. Via line 177 the jog switch is connected to the power lead 165 and through line 178 switch 176 is connected to the clutch coil 81C. The manner of using the jog switch is this. Since the machine will never stop in the middle of a sub-cycle, that is, until the forward and rearward stroke of the carriage is completed by reason of limit switch 140 in order to check out any intermediate position of the device, an alternate method of supplying power to coil 81C must be evolved other than through the main running circuit. This circuit is provided by holding jog switch 176 in an on position and then by making brief application of power through main line switch 145 moving the mechanism to any desired position and stopping. As soon as the carriage reciprocating arm 104 has moved forward as to carry the carriage towards an armature installed in the machine, the jog button may be released since limit switch 140 would then be closed and brief applications of power to clutch 81C may be made through that switch using switch 145 to control the application of power.

FIGURE 1 also shows the control panel 175 which may be seen to support switches 145, 151, 152 and 176 as well as the indicator light 150. An access door 180 provides access to the timing gear section of the machine to permit the installation of a double, linking gear appropriate to the armature being insulated. Various profile devices for the different shapes of armature slots as well as different linking gears are stored in the cabinet 20 and access is gained through cabinet door 181.

Operation In operating the machine the first step is to place an armature in the machine of the type that is to be insulated. The end of the armature shaft is inserted into track element 26 until it engages bushing 29. Bushing 29 should be moved back in track element 26 until only about a quarter of an inch of the armature is engaged by the bushing. When the armature 60 engages the roller stop 31, tailstock 22 is advanced until it engages firmly the other end of the armature shaft. Lock handle 25 is then manipulated to secure the tailstock in this position. The machine, by reason of its having completed a previous cycle of insulating, will be in the position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 4. With index dog 108 engaged in an armature slot and jog switch 176 held in the contact position, momentary applications of power are made with the main switch 145 till the head 102 of profiling finger 101 is about to enter an armature slot.

If profiling finger head 102 is too high or too low with respect to the slot of the armature, the profiling finger may be loosened at the carriage and slid vertically until it is the proper height. If the profiling finger does not align with the slot in the armature at the bottom when point of indexing dog 168 is engaging the top slot, then linkage 106 must be adjusted until the profiling finger does align with the armature slot. Further applications of power with ofi and on switch are made until the device asumes the indexed position. At this point dog point 116 of indexing dog 108 should be in a slot also. If it is not, adjustments of the indexing stop 126 are made with the thumb screw 107 until proper indexing is achieved. The device is then adjusted properly for the particular armature. Prior to this point, the proper timing gear 133 has been inserted in the machine in order to provide the proper length of cycle for the particular armature being insulated. The start button is then pushed and the machine allowed to run through a cycle in order to bring it back to the beginning of the cycle again.

When the machine is thus adjusted, everything is in readiness to insert the insulating material and begin insulating the armature. The insulating material 56 is inserted manually in the guides 32 and 34, the latter being adjusted if necessary to allow just enough clearance for the insulating material to slide easily between them. Insulating material 56 is then pushed under bar 46 and roller 55 to assume a position shown in FIGURE 3 which is to say about one-eighth of an inch short of the edge of the slot to the right of blade 69 as viewed in that figure. With the main line switch 145 in the on position, the start button 152 is then pushed and held down. In so doing the relay 155 is energized, thus closing all the relay points as described in connection with the wiring diagram. This being the case, the coil 48 for the insulating material clamp is energized, thus moving the clamp into the clamping position as shown in FIGURES 3, 8 and 9. With the insulating material thus held against being pulled forward, the machine proceeds through a cycle, the first step of which consists of the advancing of the profiling finger 161 into an empty slot and indexing the armature one slot. This position is illustrated in FIGURE 5 except the insulating paper 56 would not be in the slot as shown. Continued rotation of shaft 80 carries cam 182, as shown in FIGURE 6, to a position having a low spot adjacent the cam follower 124 which allows spring 125 to pivot arm 119 so that it engages stop 126. Stop 126 has previously been adjusted for proper indexing. With the machine thus indexed, slight additional rotation of shaft 8% causes the insertion blade 69 to be moved upwardly as cam follower 89 rides up on to the high point of cam 79. Arm 84 is therefore pivoted as shown in FIGURE 7, thus accomplishing the insertion of paper in a slot of the armature as shown clearly in FIGURES 7 and 8.

Continued rotation of shaft 80 via the clutch 81 causes further rotation of the box cam 114 so as to again bring a point in the groove near to shaft 80 adjacent the cam follower 115. This causes the arm 104 to withdraw the carriage 5' 5 and profiling finger 101 to a rearward position as shown in FIGURE 4. As soon as the carriage is in a rear position, the indexing arm engages a high point in the cam, thus causing it to pivot to the position shown in FIGURE 4, i.e. with the carriage in a verticle position again.

In the meantime, as the cam has been rotating, it has caused the insertion 'blade 69 to be Withdrawn from the slot of an armature and the profiling finger again advances this time forcing the insulating material 56 to conform to the shape of the slot as shown in FIGURE 9. The carriage is again tipped by the indexing arm 119 and the position assumed by armature 60 is illustrated in FIGURE 10.

At a point just prior to turning armature 60 to the 1i position shown in FIGURE 10, however, the timing gear 136 has rotated far enough to drop arm 138 from the cam-like element 137 on timing gear 136. For this reason switch 139 has assumed its biased position which is to say holding the relay closed via the holding points 139L and breaking the circuits to both the solenoid for the movable paper roller 61 and the paper clamp 47. Since one of these elements is held out of operation by being energized and the other is held in operation by being energized, when both are de-energized, the paper clamp ceases to operate as shown in FIGURE while the paper roller 161 engages the insulating material to hold it against axial movement as a result of friction applied when the profiling finger enters the slot or withdraws without interfering with advance of the insulation.

As shown in FIGURE 11, insertion blade 69 pushes insulating material into the bottom slot as the profiling finger is indexed to the indexed position. As the indexed finger is withdrawn, straightened and reinserted, the insertion blade 69 is withdrawn as shown in FIGURE 12. This cycle is repeated over and over until the entire armature has been insulated. As the last step in the automatic operation, the profiling finger indexes the slot designated 90L in FIGURE 13.

At this point the machine automatically stops as de scribed in connection with the wiring diagram by reason of both the limit switch 139 and :the limit switch 140 being held open. At this point the insulating material is withdrawn slightly manually and knife handle 37 is grasped and moved from right to left as shown in FIGURES 2 and 16. The armature is then withdrawn from the machine by releasing lock handle of tailpiece 22 and the armature that has insulating material wrapped around it is laid aside. The next armature to be insulated is inserted in the machine, the paper is properly set up and the machine started on its cycle. While the machine is running through its second cycle, the operator manually inserts the last half of the insulating material for the slot designated 99E. Thus, as can be seen in FIGURE 13, the last slot has the overlapping ends of the insulating material down inside the slot.

It is apparent that many modifications and variations of this invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. The specific embodiments described are given by way of example only and the invention is limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An armature insulating machine comprising a frame, means for supporting rotatably an armature on said frame, means for presenting insulating material to an armature secured to said frame, an insertion blade secured to said frame and radially movable relative to an armature mounted thereon, a' profiling finger mounted on said frame and axially movable relative to an armature on said frame, and means for indexing said armature comprising means for imparting indexing motion to said profiling finger relative to said means for supporting rotatably an armature.

2. The armature insulating machine of claim 1 in which said indexing means comprises a track mounted onto said frame to pivot about the same axis as an armature in said supporting means; a carriage reciprocally movable on said track toward and away from said means for rotatably supporting an armature; said profiling finger carried by said carriage; means secured to said carriage, means secured to said track for pivoting it in one direction after said carriage is moved toward said means for supporting rotatably an armature with said profiling finger in engagement with an armature therein and in the opposite direction after said carriage is moved away from said means for supporting rotatably an armature.

3. The armature insulating machine of claim 2 in which the means for pivoting said track at times comprises; linkage secured to said track and said frame; a track cam follower on said track linkage; and a cam rotatably secured to said frame and engaging said track cam fol lower to force said track to a reference position; a stop secured to said frame near said track linkage; a resilient element secured to said frame and engaging said track iinkage and urging it towards said stop.

4. The armature insulating machine of claim 3 in which means for reciprocating said carriage on said track to produce axial movement of said profiling finger relative to an armature on said frame comprises; linkage secured to said carriage and said frame; a carriage cam follower secured to said carriage linkage; and a box carriage cam rotatably secured to said frame and embracing said carriage cam follower.

5. The armature insulating machine of claim 4 in which said means for presenting insulating material to an armce ture secured to said frame comprises; means secured to said frame for holding a supply of insulating material; a fixed insulating material guide secured to said frame; an armature stop rotatably secured to said frame adjacent one end of said means for supporting an armature; some portion of said armature stop member periphery being in line vertically with said fixed insulating material guide; a movable insulating material guide secured to said frame.

6. The armature insulating machine of claim 5 further characterized by an insulating material clamp secured to said frame between said means for holding an armature and said means for supporting a supply of insulating material.

7. The armature insulating machine of claim 6 further characterized by a roller on the side of said means for supporting an armature away from said insulating material supporting means for frictionally engaging insulating material to resist axial movement thereof relative to an armature to which the insulating material is being applied.

8. The armature insulating machine of claim 7 in which said insulating material clamp and said roller act in mutually exclusive order to resist axial movement of said insulating material.

9. The armature insulating machine of claim 2 in which said track comprises spaced apart elements rigid in relation to each other; and said carriage has portions thereof engaging said track elements for stabilizing said carriage on said track and to resist all movement therebetween except reciprocation.

10. An armature insulating machine comprising; a frame; means secured to said frame for supporting an armature rotatably thereon; means secured to said frame for presenting insulating material to an armature mounted on said frame; means secured to said frame for inserting insulating material into the slots of an armature mounted on said frame; a track pivotally secured to said frame to pivot about the axis of said armature supporting means; an indexing means consisting of a carriage slidably supported on said track; a profiling finger secured to said carriage; means secured to said frame and to said carriage for reciprocating said carriage on said track; and means secured to said frame and said track for pivoting said track in relation to said frame, said profiling finger being positioned in one slot of an armature mounted in said machine when said means for inserting insulating material is inserting insulating material into another slot of an armature mounted in said machine.

11. The armature insulating machine of claim 10 in which said track has a neutral position and an indexing position; linkage attached to said track; a cam rotatably secured to said frame adjacent said linkage secured to said track; a cam follower secured to said linkage and engaging said cam for moving it positively to said track neutral position; a stop secured to said frame; resilient means engaging said linkage attached to said track for 13 moving it to said top; said stop determining the indexing position of said track.

12. The armature insulating machine of claim 11 in which said profiling finger comprises an elongated element having a profiling head at one end comprising only a small portion of the length thereof and the balance of said profiling finger being narrower than said profiling head.

13. The armature insulating machine of claim 12 in which the means for reciprocating said carriage on said track comprises carriage linkage secured to said carriage and said frame; a carriage cam follower secured to said carriage linkage; and a box cam rotatably secured to said frame and embracing said carriage cam follower on said carriage linkage for positively moving said carriage linkage in two directions.

14. Structure for presenting insulating material to an armature in an armature insulating machine having a frame comprising; means secured to said frame for holding a supply of insulating material; a fixed insulating material guide secured to said frame; a rolling member secured to said frame near said fixed insulating material guide; some portion of said rolling member periphery being in line vertically with said fixed insulating material guide; a movable insulating material guide secured to said frame; an insulating material clamp secured to said frame between the means for holding an armature and said means for supporting a supply of insulating material; and a roller on the side of said means for supporting an armature away from said insulating material supporting means for frictionally engaging insulating material to resist axial movement thereof relative to an armature to which it is being applied.

15. The armature insulating machine of claim 14 in which said insulating material clamp and said roller engage insulating material being applied to an armature secured to said frame in a mutually exclusive order.

16. A track and carriage for supporting an armature insulating profiling device comprising; spaced track elements rigid with respect to each other, a carriage, frame,

means on said carriage frame and engaging one of said track elements for stabilizing said carriage on a third axis relative to said track, and means on said carriage for securing a profiling device thereto; said carriage being longitudinally movable With respect to said track; and said means secured to said carriage for stabilizing said carriage frame on two axes are rollers.

17. The carriage and track structure of claim 16 in which said rollers are contoured on their peripheries to engage a track element as to resist motion in with respect thereto on two axes.

18. The carriage and track structure of claim 17 in which the means on said frame engaging said other track element comprise rollers.

19. The carriage and track structure of claim 15 in which all of the means on said frame engaging said track elements are rollers.

20. An armature insulating machine comprising, a frame, means secured to said frame for supporting an armature rotatably thereon; means secured to said frame for presenting insulating material to an armature mounted on said frame; means secured to said frame for inserting said insulating materials in the slots of an armature mounted on said frame; means secured to said frame for forcing insulating material that has been inserted to conform to contours of the slots of an armature mounted in said frame; said means for forcing said insulating material to conform to the contours of the slots of an armature mounted in said frame remaining in a slot of said armature While said means for inserting insulating material is inserting insulating material into another slot of an armature mounted on said machine.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,740 Eaton Oct. 20, 1931 2,111,457 McCaffrey Mar. 15, 1938 2,363,760 Rafter Dec. 1, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3,061,909 November 6, 1962 Melvin J, Straub: et al,

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 55, for "rack" read track column 4, line 74, for "ttogether read together column 6, line 25 for "113 read 114 column 7, line 49, for "enagged" read engaged; line 53, for "sshown" read shown column 2, line 29, for "job'? read jog column 10, line 10, for

asnmes" read assumes column 13, line 40, after "carriage" strike out the comma; same line, after "frame,"- insert EAL) est:

IEST w. SWIDEB. DAVID LADD esting Officer 9 Commissioner of Patents 

